COLLEGE FOOTBALL: TCNJ's Burns closing in on defensive record

After having a week to digest its loss at Brockport, The College of New Jersey is ready to get back to football.

The Lions are 1-2 overall and look to even their New Jersey Athletic Conference record at 1-1 Saturday when they head to Western Connecticut (0-3, 0-2).

“We have been in this situation before and we have come back strong,” said TCNJ coach Eric Hamilton. “(Brockport) was a good football team and at this point they are better than us.”

During Hamilton’s 36-year run at TCNJ one positive trait has been the team’s ability to rise to the occasion after a loss. Two years ago, the Lions started the season 1-4 and turned things around, winning four of the last five.

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The Lions still have plenty of football remaining, including all the NJAC teams that have won their first couple league games.

“I still believe we can be a good football team,” Hamilton said, “but we are not there yet.”

The Lions have been very impressive on the offensive end, averaging 27 points a game behind senior quarterback Dan Dugan and senior running back Justin Doniloski.

Dugan, who is a first-year starter, has thrown for 713 yards while Doniloski is averaging 108.3 yards a game on the ground. Glenn Grainger leads the conference with 6.7 catches a game.

The offense has been bolstered by the kicking performance of Derrick Hughes. The former Robbinsville star is perfect on extra points and is also an unblemished 4 for 4 on field goals.

Many years it has been the defense that has been the catalyst for TCNJ’s offense, but this season the defense has allowed 468.3 yards per game. Most of the yards yielded are through the air, and it will be an area the Lions will look to improve.

The Lions have also been hurt by penalties, averaging nearly 100 yards per game.

Nick Bricker and Greg Burns lead the Lions in tackles with 29 and 28, respectively. Burns, the former Hamilton High and Peddie player, is quickly closing in on the all-time mark for tackles.

Carl Jones set the career mark of 284 in 1985. Burns has 278 heading into Saturday’s game with Western Connecticut.

As the Lions conclude a three-game road trip, this would be a good place to start becoming the football team Hamilton believes they can be.